Currently, the WhatsApp camera does have the capability to record video. To do so, you’ll simply hold your finger down on the shutter button. It’s similar to what Samsung does with its camera app.
However, WhatsApp is testing out a dedicated video mode
Being able to simply hold your finger down on the shutter button is pretty convenient. However, it can be a bother. If you take your finger off of the shutter button, it will stop recording. So, if you want to set your camera on a tripod and walk away from the phone while recording, you won’t be able to. Fortunately, according to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing a dedicated video mode for the camera in the app. This will come with a slight alteration to the UI. Currently, when you access the camera in WhatsApp, you will see the viewfinder take up most of the screen. However, after the update, there will be some space under the shutter button to hold to pill-shaped buttons. This is similar to what you would see and something like the Google Pixel camera. You’ll see a button for the photo mode and one for the video mode. You’ll either be able to tap or swipe between the two modes to change them.
This feature is currently in testing, so you should not expect to see it anytime soon. The company has released this latest version of WhatsApp to a select group of beta testers. After some testing, WhatsApp will most likely push the feature to the public. Since this is a beta test we’re talking about, you’ll want to take this with a grain of salt.
